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In Russian: http://pubs.carnegie.ru/books/2002/08is/ An English summary: http://pubs.carnegie.ru/books/2002/08is/summary.asp a few clips ... Summary This book was prepared on the basis of the reports delivered at workshops hosted by the Carnegie Moscow Center in 2001-2002 as part of the working group “The Internet and Russian Society.” The collection it represents is the result of joint efforts by researchers from various disciplines and theoretical-methodological schools. Though their areas of expertise vary greatly, these researchers are bound by a scholarly interest in the Internet as the compendium of technologies that most fully, completely, and broadly reflect the general trends and challenges of the information revolution. As this book makes clear, an analysis of such trends in the context of the social transformation of Russian society allows one to comprehend not only the specifics of Russia’s new Internet age, but developments in the use of cyberspace on a global scale as well. The range of topics encompassed by this volume is very broad, covering everything from descriptions and analyses of the territorial organization of Russia’s cyberspace to studies of the processes by which technology has created a new cultural environment in Russia’s regions. As the authors of The Internet and Russian Society have described it, this new cultural environment includes: changes in the expression of collective identity as they are affected by new information and communications technologies, developments in the political segment of Russia’s Internet, use of information technologies to help improve social institutions, development of the role of Russia’s Internet in attracting foreign investment, development of electronic libraries, use of the Internet as a field for the Russian Orthodox Church’s missionary activity, the Internet’s role in science, and the possibilities of using the Internet for public administration. ... clip ... Later in his article, Perfiliev describes how, despite the unevenness of the Internet’s spread and use around the world, there have appeared common strategies for realizing the opportunities it offers in both technologically advanced nations and in those that are still developing. In many instances, these strategies have involved the use of the Internet as a powerful tool in resisting the homogenizing influence of Western “symbolic capital.” Ironically, many technologies that initially served as channels for the proliferation of such “global” trends have come to be used by forces resisting these trends. The worldwide growth of local, national, religious, etc. movements making use of the Internet attests to this fact. One result of the intertwining of globalization and its opposing trends is the appearance of new forms and dimensions of identity expression that are intended to overcome globalization’s inherent contradictions and to resolve its individual and social conflicts. Ilya Semenov’s article “The Longing for Identity: Resistance and the Information Technologies” is devoted to analyzing this phenomenon. Using a constructivist approach to understanding identity, the author clearly demonstrates the shift in emphasis of identification toward “resistance.” “Resistance” expresses not the position of the centers of power, but the essence of the prevailing method for building identities. In contrast to the concept of “extremism,” “resistance” is described as the foundation for neutral assessment, for self-evaluation, and for classification. Information and communications technologies create an environment that, on the one hand, presents new forms of imagination to such “real” communities as nations, but, on the other hand, provides a foundation for new “virtual” forms of imaginary communities built around the identity of “resistance.” The great variety of content of the Internet’s resources does not exclude the possibility of their classification and segmentation; on the contrary, it both presupposes and requires such a possibility. Grigory Belonuchkin and Yekaterina Mikhailova’s joint article “The Political Segment of Russia’s Internet: Its Development and Prospects” points out that Russia’s cyberspace and Runet (“the Russian Internet”) are intersecting concepts, but they are still different in content and scope. The former is defined by political borders and by relationships between individuals and technical apparati, as well as by informational resources. The latter is defined by both the boundaries of the language and by those of the “.ru” domain. Belonuchkin and Mikhailova’s article examines the political component of Runet in particular, which is understood here as an aggregation of Russian-language sites in the worldwide web. Along with the presentation of a detailed and precise classification of Runet, the authors consider the vital question of the legislative regulation of this segment of Russia’s cyberspace. The authors draw attention to several important trends in the development of Runet’s political aspects, among which are the increased opportunities for manipulating information and for monopolization afforded by the Internet medium. The development of such trends has evoked serious fears about the freedom and security of Russia’s information cyberspace. Such fears have forced many to examine more carefully the concept of “information society” as well as to propose ways to materialize this concept that will take into account the specifics of the Russian society. Artyom Shadrin’s article “Information Technologies and Raising the Effectiveness of Social Institutions“ is also dedicated to this task. Despite the fact that an official “information society” program has yet to be adopted in Russia, a “Concept for the Creation of Information Society in Russia” does exist, as does a special Federal program known as “Electronic Russia.” As far as the “Concept” is concerned, it appears as yet to be merely an empty declaration. The Federal program, however, despite a certain vagueness, looks more hopeful. Nevertheless, Shadrin warns, in order for these hopes to be realized one must think carefully about new areas of application for information technologies as well as about possibilities for the necessary funding of such applications. What should the government and public organizations do so that realistic strategies for using information technologies do not remain mere prospects and that these technologies are not limited to simply installing computer equipment, connecting it to the information networks, and learning how to operate it? Beyond these questions, Shadrin notes that it is of equal importance for the so-called “information society” not to experience any further mythologization and ideologization. To this end, it is necessary to realistically outline the possibilities for effective qualitative and quantitative effects from the information and communications technologies currently available. Special attention is given to the possibilities of network organizations guaranteeing greater efficiency in interpersonal communication (as compared to the Internet’s usual mechanisms of interaction). Raising the efficiency of information technologies’ operation must be one of Russia’s priorities. Technical efficiency, however, is not a goal in and of itself but rather a means to an end. The main goal in developing Internet technologies should not be its technical excellence, but rather social effectiveness. More rational and functional management is one manifestation of this type of effectiveness, which is the central theme of Valentin Ivanov’s article “On the Particulars of Realizing the Functions of Social Management on the Internet.” The main aim of Ivanov’s research is to seek the optimal means of fulfilling the functions of social management and communications within the network of the Internet. To achieve this goal, the author analyzes the existing models of social management. One such existing model is the website www.e-government.ru which aims at raising the efficiency of the above-mentioned type of social management. The creation and operation of this website falls within the framework of a wider set of tasks that are commonly referred to as the “e-government.” Ivanov’s article gives one an idea of the website’s structure and content, and analyzes and evaluates how it operates as an information resource and as an arena for communication. To this end, one of the site’s communicative strategies—the creation of a representative expert group—is examined in particular detail. The description and analysis of this, and other aspects of the website’s work leads the author to the conclusion that for the government’s use of information and communications technologies to be effective, it will be necessary to master new methods of social diagnosis and social planning. Ivanov also notes that the Internet can and ought to be used to establish a real dialogue between the government and the citizens which will bring certain social benefit. ... clip ... ^ ^ ^ ^ Steven L. 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